The present invention relates to nonferrous metallurgy, and more particularly, to nickel-base alloys.
1. Field of the Application
The invention will find application in the production of magnetostrictive alloys which are widely used, for example, in manufacturing oscillators of sonic and ultrasonic frequency. Nickel-base alloys are also extensively employed in the fabrication of magnetostrictors used in the construction of hydrolocators and fathometers, for intensification of technological processes (e.g. in metallurgy), as well as for ultrasonic cleaning of workpieces. Drilling rigs have been recently developed on the basis of magnetostriction oscillators. Such drilling rigs are provided with magnetostrictors which are used to impart vibrating motion to an otherwise rotating boring tool. The operating efficiency of the tool is thus drastically increased.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among the materials most frequently used for the production of magnetostrictors are commercially pure nickel and nickel alloy containing 4 percent by weight of cobalt.
The band fabricated from commercially pure nickel is estimated to have magnetostriction of -35.times.10.sup.-6, the band from nickel-cobalt alloy, depending on the production process, has magnetostriction equal to -30.times.10.sup.-6 to -45.times.10.sup.-6. Higher magnetostriction, in the event of nickel-cobalt alloy, is made possible due to vacuum melting and cold rolling with a deformation of 95 percent. The use of commercially pure nickel is disadvantageous in that it has limited magnetostriction which is impossible to raise (above -40.times.10.sup.-6).
The cobalt-nickel alloy mentioned above suffers from a disadvantage which lies in that it contains scarce and expensive cobalt. In addition, this alloy has low mechanical properties; after annealing the band at a temperature of 800.degree. to 900.degree. C., the yield strength thereof was .delta..sub.0.2 =6 kg.per sq.mm.
The band fabricated from commercially pure nickel is known to have magnetostriction equal to about -50.times.10.sup.-6. Such magnetostriction, however, is observed only in the case of the band annealing temperature not exceeding 700.degree. to 750.degree. C. According to the process of manufacturing magnetostrictive oscillators, the heating of band or strip is carried out at a temperature of up to 800.degree. to 1000.degree. C. At such temperature there takes place secondary recrystallization, and magnetostriction is brought down to a value of -35.times.10.sup.-6. Moreover, highly pure nickel is disadvantageous in that it has a low yield strength (about 4 kg. per sq. mm), which adversely affects its operating characteristics.
Known Ni-Co--base alloys (with additions of silicon contained in an mount of 2 percent by weight, or chromium in an amount of 2 percent by weight) have magnetostriction not exceeding (-25 to 35).times.10.sup.-6.
There is also known an alloy which contains from 7 to 27 percent by weight of manganese, and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of iron (0-10 wt.%), vanadium (0-9 wt.%), silicon (0-5 wt.%), titanium (0-7 wt.%), molybdenum (0-8 wt.%), aluminum (0-6 wt.%), chromium (0-6 wt.%), tungsten (0-9 wt.%), antimony (0-11 wt.%), tin (0-10 wt.%), cobalt (0-22 wt.%), copper 0-10 wt.%), nickel, the balance. This alloy has relatively low magnetostriction, not exceeding -20.times.10.sup.-6.
An object of the present invention is to provide a nickel-base alloy such that will have high magnetostriction value in addition to its high yield strength (high mechanical properties).